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Photo of the Week: Retro VW van survives Calif. wildfire

Preston Martin figured his 1977 Volkswagon van was goner when he parked it in Malibu before the Palisades Fire

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California Wildfires Behind the Pictures Photo Gallery

A Volkswagen bus sits among burned out homes, Jan. 9, 2025, in Malibu, Calif.

AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill

By FireRescue 1 Staff

MALIBU, Calif. — Preston Martin thought his retro blue Volkswagen van was lost after the Palisades fire devastated a Malibu neighborhood, destroying homes and cars.

To his surprise, the van survived. A photo of the vibrant 1977 Volkswagen Type 2, taken by an Associated Press photographer, went viral, bringing joy to many, the Associated Press reported.

Martin, a surfboard maker, bought the van during college at UC Santa Barbara. He later sold it to his friend Megan Krystle Weinraub. When the fire broke out, Weinraub evacuated with her dog, leaving the van behind, expecting it to be destroyed.

Days later, a neighbor sent her a photo showing the van untouched, its bright colors still intact despite soot on the windows.

California Wildfires Blue Van

This photo provided by Macy DiCenso shows Megan Krystle Weinraub as she stands with her dog Bodi in front of her Volkswagen van on Sept. 30, 2024, in Malibu, Calif.

Macy DiCenso/AP

California Wildfires Blue Van

Preston Martin poses for a photo in front of his VW van on Aug. 21, 2022 in Irvine, Calif.

Cebrina Martin/AP

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